red light cameras from ars technica

[Guest colrmccoll]

Don't like speed cameras? Use them to punk your enemies

By Jacqui Cheng | Published: December 22, 2008 - 10:49AM CT

Whenever a new, relatively unpopular technology hits the streets, you can always count on teenagers to try and exploit it for their own gain. Such is the case with speed cameras, as high school students in Maryland have begun playing the "Speed Camera Pimping Game," wherein they attempt to punk the not-so-accurate cameras by creating faux license plates that can be traced back to peers and teachers they have it out for. The trend has parents and law officials worried, and it raises even more questions about the cameras' usefulness.

Students at Montgomery High School in Maryland have discovered that they can duplicate the license plates of their archenemies by printing a Maryland plate template on a sheet of glossy photo paper and digging up a handy license plate character font, according to a parent speaking to The Sentinel (via /.). This may sound like a janky craft project at first, but these cameras are not sensitive enough to pick up the differences between these paper license plates and the real things. The students then tape the faux plate over their own and purposefully speed in order to be caught by the speed camera, causing the real owner of the license plate to receive a $40 citation in the mail.

"This game is very disturbing," the parent told the newspaper. "Especially since unsuspecting parents will also be victimized through receipt of unwarranted photo speed tickets. I hope the public at large will complain loudly enough that local Montgomery County government officials will change their policy of using these cameras for monetary gain. The practice of sending speeding tickets to faceless recipients without any type of verification is unwarranted and an exploitation of our rights."

Red-light and speed cameras continue to be part of a controversial trend rolling across the US as more municipalities attempt to "increase safety" by photographing alleged law-breakers in order to ticket them later. Some cities have been caught shortening their yellow light times in order to catch more people running red lights (and therefore generate more revenue), not to mention that speed cameras have been known to be wildly inaccurate at times. That hasn't stopped numerous municipalities from setting them up at every major intersection and side road, usually despite continued protests from citizens.

Unsurprisingly, the Montgomery County police said that they had never heard of the Speed Camera Pimping Game, but that they would begin keeping an eye out for it. Montgomery County Council President Phil Andrews, however, appears to see the further-reaching implications of the game. "It will cause potential problems for the Speed Camera Program in terms of the confidence in it," he said.

[ZenDog]

When I was stationed in Germany I got caught by one of these radar-camera things- took a picture of me and the license plate on the front of the auto. It was a nice B&W photo- you could see my eyes and my mustache- no doubt who it was. I was nailed.

There was one guy who purportedly got out of it by claiming an unknown friend had borrowed the car while he was indisposed, drunk and passed out, for which he had witnesses. The photo showed the driver was wearing a pig mask- there was no way to ident the driver, so they let the guy off the hook.

[Guest Astra900]

A guy I went to trade school with a guy who did that to one of his enemies.

They drove similar Chevy trucks, so he mocked up a plate with the other guy's tag #. I was told he was filmed driving in reverse through an intersection at 2am wearing a Nixon mask while the passenger was hanging out the window doing "something" with a cucumber and a pair of channel locks.

Can't swear any truth to it, but sounds like the guy I remember.

[Guest nj.piney]

they tried these cameras in new jersey 20 years ago . they stopped using them because when you got your first ticket in the mail you usually had three more on the way .with enough points to lose your license

[strickj]

Some cities have been caught shortening their yellow light times in order to catch more people running red lights (and therefore generate more revenue),

Chattanooga got caught doing this a few months ago here in Brainerd.

I actually like the cameras just because I'm getting tired of people that will continue to turn left,and cut you off,after the turn light turns off.Dont know how any wrecks Ive almost had because of that,but at least now I dont have to honk and flip them off.Now I just smile cause I know they'll be getting a ticket

[Guest SUNTZU]

The intersection at Cedar Bluff and North Peters road has cameras. The yellow light is more like a yellow strobe because of the duration. Most directions have two turning lanes while one has three. Its basically one of Knoxville's income streams. There seem to be more rear end collisions due to people slamming on their breaks as soon as the green light turns to yellow, as there is no way to make it through on yellow, despite going 35 miles per hour.

60,299 photo tickets with a revenue for the city of almost one million dollars.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/may/11/no-cameras-increase-accident-rates/

[Guest dotsun]

For anyone interested, I actually picked up the one at the corner of Cumberland Ave and Alcoa Hwy broadcasting a WEP encrypted signal a few months ago. I'm not sure why that's important, though...

[GLOCKMEISTER]

all it takes is subpoena the public works guys that install them to court, and when they testify they changed the duration of the yellow light... your off the hook.

[Guest m&pc9]

If they put them up in Sevierville we wouldnt have to pay property tax for a long time. I tell everybody in Sevierville when your light turns green you have to wait for 4 more cars before you can go.

[Guest Dean_JC78]

I hate these darn things. We just got some new ones in Jonesborough. I hope those responsible are out of a job soon.

Seriously, who do we go after to get rid of this intrusive unconstitutional garbage?

[Guest Astra900]

Reminds me of something that happened about 10 years ago just outside Paris TN. Tn Highway Patrol set up one of those things on the side of the road that tell you how fast you are going. They found it riddled with bullet holes.

Toooo funny....and very tempting.

[Smith]

all it takes is subpoena the public works guys that install them to court, and when they testify they changed the duration of the yellow light... your off the hook.

Actuially i heard a story the other day where a lawyer fought his ticket with great results. I can't remeber where it was, but under the laws there any video evidence used for a conviction has to be obtained by LE or at the least under a private investigator liscnese. Since the company that was running the cammera's were neither, they had to pay a huge fine! Nice when it back fires!

[bubbiesdad]

I hate these darn things. We just got some new ones in Jonesborough. I hope those responsible are out of a job soon.

Seriously, who do we go after to get rid of this intrusive unconstitutional garbage?

And while we're at it, how about those pesky cameras in banks, stop n' robs, and ATMs? :rolleyes:

[Smith]

And while we're at it, how about those pesky cameras in banks, stop n' robs, and ATMs? :rolleyes:

That is completley different, those are private buisness who can do what they like.

[Guest nraforlife]

The intersection at Cedar Bluff and North Peters road has cameras. The yellow light is more like a yellow strobe because of the duration. Most directions have two turning lanes while one has three. Its basically one of Knoxville's income streams. There seem to be more rear end collisions due to people slamming on their breaks as soon as the green light turns to yellow, as there is no way to make it through on yellow, despite going 35 miles per hour.

60,299 photo tickets with a revenue for the city of almost one million dollars.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/may/11/no-cameras-increase-accident-rates/

Know that area well. CASH COW!

[Guest Dean_JC78]

That is completley different, those are private buisness who can do what they like.

Exactly. The next thing will be some sort of GPS system installed in all cars to track our movements and speed. You could set it up to report when you go over the speed limit and send you a ticket. Heck, I bet they could charge you a "tax" to have it in your car to pay for the service.

The issue here is about a nanny state where big brother watches our every move opening the door to a new form of tax hidden as a fine. As mentioned, they can tweak the times on those lights to make it easy to run even a little just to increase revenue streams. This is not a public saftey issue... it is about more of our money being robbed from us at the point of a gun by the Govt.

[strickj]

Yano,if you dont run red lights,you have nothing to worry about!

Just saying!

[bubbiesdad]

Yano,if you dont run red lights,you have nothing to worry about!

Just saying!

There you go again, bringing common sense into the discussion.

[Guest nraforlife]

TN

Green = Go

Red= Stop

Yellow = FLOOR IT

[Guest jackdog]

I hate these damn things, strictly because you can be given a ticket without an LEO being involved. A picture of a license plate ain't proof of squat.

[Guest m&pc9]

Exactly. The next thing will be some sort of GPS system installed in all cars to track our movements and speed. You could set it up to report when you go over the speed limit and send you a ticket. Heck, I bet they could charge you a "tax" to have it in your car to pay for the service.

The issue here is about a nanny state where big brother watches our every move opening the door to a new form of tax hidden as a fine. As mentioned, they can tweak the times on those lights to make it easy to run even a little just to increase revenue streams. This is not a public saftey issue... it is about more of our money being robbed from us at the point of a gun by the Govt.

A place where I worked about 3 yrs ago. In all their CDL trucks they put a computer and gps tracking we could look at anytime and see where the truck was and speed and could see how many times they stopped to pee.

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

Yano,if you dont run red lights,you have nothing to worry about!

Just saying!

Yano, when you are accused of a crime by someone who has never met you, seen you, or otherwise attempted to positively identify you, it's a real threat to the Constitutional protections for which so many people died. Just sayin'!

Red light cameras are about revenue. Not safety. That's the thing that disgusts me the most.

[mdmoseley]

I hate these damn things, strictly because you can be given a ticket without an LEO being involved. A picture of a license plate ain't proof of squat.

Not sure about other jurisdictions but Murfreesboro has officers that reviews all the tickets submitted by the company that runs the cameras. They have the final say before the tickets are mailed out.

I don't have a problem with them nor do I feel my job is threatened by them. It's pretty simple. Don't run the light and you won't get a ticket. What is funny to is that alot of people who complain about the cameras are the first to whine about someone who runs a red light when one of us is not around.

[cadillacdude1975]

i read somewhere about someone suing about these cameras. in most municipalities, the law is written to where a police officer has to physically witness a misdemeanor in order for a citation/summons to be issued. the cameras are not police officers so the point is moot.

i remember reading about it a while back, but i cant for the life of me remember where it took place.

Edited December 26, 2008 by cadillacdude1975
...

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

Not sure about other jurisdictions but Murfreesboro has officers that reviews all the tickets submitted by the company that runs the cameras. They have the final say before the tickets are mailed out.

I don't have a problem with them nor do I feel my job is threatened by them. It's pretty simple. Don't run the light and you won't get a ticket. What is funny to is that alot of people who complain about the cameras are the first to whine about someone who runs a red light when one of us is not around.

The problem with this is the fact that the officer involved can't honestly testify as to who committed the alleged infraction. A car or a license plate do not commit infractions. Motorists do. Citations are issued to motorists, not vehicles.

I have a hard time respecting any police officer who could participate in such a farce.